Brew Reaper

How to make cold brew coffee

By , café venue manager and barista · Updated

Cold brew is coffee steeped in cold water for many hours instead of brewed with hot water. It comes out smooth, sweet and low in bitterness, and it is perfect over ice on a hot Perth afternoon. This recipe makes a strong concentrate that you mix with water or milk to serve.

The quick recipe

For a 1 litre jar:

  • Coffee: 125g, about 25 level tablespoons
  • Water: 1 litre, cold or room temperature
  • Grind: extra coarse, like rock salt
  • Time: 12 to 24 hours in the fridge

That is a ratio of 1:8. Making a bigger batch? The cold brew calculator works it out for any size.

What you need

  • A large jar or jug with a lid
  • A sieve and a paper filter or a clean cloth, for straining
  • Kitchen scales and a spoon

Step by step

  1. Add the coffee. Put the ground coffee in the jar.
  2. Add the water. Pour in the cold water.
  3. Stir. Give it a good stir so all the coffee is wet.
  4. Cover and chill. Put the lid on and put it in the fridge.
  5. Wait 12 to 24 hours. Longer gives a stronger, deeper flavour. Start at about 16 hours and adjust next time.
  6. Strain it. Pour it through a sieve first, then through a paper filter or cloth to catch the fine bits. Be patient, as this can take a few minutes.
  7. Serve. Mix it half and half with cold water or milk, over ice.

How strong should it be?

For a 1 litre jar:

Strength Ratio For 1 litre
Mild 1:10 100g coffee
Balanced 1:8 125g coffee
Strong 1:6 167g coffee

These make a concentrate, so you water it down to serve. A stronger concentrate gives you more room to add milk.

Fixing cold brew that tastes off

  • Weak or watery: use more coffee, steep it longer, or mix it with less water when you serve.
  • Bitter or woody: it steeped too long, or the grind was too fine. Go coarser, or strain it sooner.
  • Gritty or cloudy: strain it again through a paper filter.

Good to know

  • Keep it in the fridge. Store it covered and it tastes best within about a week.
  • Medium and dark roasts suit cold brew. They give the classic chocolatey, smooth taste.
  • Try it with milk. Cold brew with cold milk over ice is an easy home iced latte.
  • Use fresh beans. Try one of Perth’s local roasters.